1月11日的團練主題 Practice theme on 11 Jan

北京今天非常寒冷，但是天空一片蔚藍，十分美麗。在我們靜坐的時刻，風在舞動咆哮。感謝這陣陣寒風，把塵土和污染刮走，讓美妙的藍天顯現。

It's a very cold day in Beijing but the sky is clear and blue.  Our meditation is accompanied by strong howls of the wind.  We are grateful for the wind as it clears away the dust and pollution so that the wonderful blue sky is revealed to us. 

今天我們回到正念的基本功，這個練習雖然很簡單，卻很有效地幫助我們身心得到平靜和滋潤。如常地，我們從回到自己的呼吸開始：

Today we go back to a basic mindfulness meditation to nourish and calm our body and mind. As usual, we start by returning to our breathing:

Breathing in, I know that I am breathing in.                 吸氣，我知道自己在吸氣。

Breathing out, I know that I am breathing out.            呼氣，我知道自己在呼氣。

然後，我們就跟隨著梅村裡最受歡迎的歌的歌詞來冥想。

Then we follow the lyrics of our all time favourite Plum Village song for the rest of our guided meditation.

Breathing in,  I see myself as a blooming flower.          吸氣，我看見自己是綻放的鮮花。

Breathing out, I feel fresh.                                                 呼氣，我感覺很清新。

Breathing in, I see myself as a mountain.                       吸氣，我看見自己是一座高山。

Breathing out, I feel solid.                                                 呼氣，我感到很穩固。

Breathing in, I see myself as still water in the lake.     吸氣，我看見自己是平靜的湖水。

Breathing out, I reflect all that is.                                    呼氣，我如實的反照著事物。

Breathing in, I see myself as space.                                 吸氣，我看見自己是空間。

Breathing out, I am free.                                                    呼氣，我感到自由自在。

當我們從網上尋找資源的時候，無意中發現了這段名為“吸氣，呼氣”的視頻，這不是我們平常唱的那首歌，但也同樣美妙動聽，請大家欣賞！

While searching for resources from the web, we discovered this beautiful meditation video named "Breathing in, breathing out".  It is not the same breathing in, breathing out that we sing but the music is as wonderful.  Enjoy!

Spiritual friendship

I was reading this text by the founder of the Friends of the Western Buddhist Order (FWBO) to which sangha I belong as a "mitra", or friend. And I wanted to share it with you!

Thank you for being a spiritual friend!

PS. I look forward to reading the next chapter: "Buddhism and business relationships".

With metta,
Kris C


.........................................................................

"The development of spiritual friendship is very difficult. Leading the spiritual life is very difficult. Being a Buddhist - a real Buddhist - is very difficult. We need help. And we can get that help not only from our teachers but also from one another. We can't be with our spiritual teacher all the time, but we can be with our spiritual friends all the time, or at least much of the time. We can see them regularly, perhaps even live with them, perhaps even work with them. If we spend time with spiritual friends in this way, we will get to know them better, and they will get to know us better." (p. 203)

and a little earlier in the same chapter he writes:

"We may not have the Buddha, but we do have one another. We can help one another, encourage one another in our practice of the Dharma. We can confess our faults and weaknesses to one another. We can share our understanding with one another. We can rejoice in one another's merits. In these ways we can make a practice of spiritual friendship." (p. 202)

From chapter 16, "The meaning of friendship", from the book "What is the Sangha? The nature of spiritual community" by Sangharakshita (Windhorse Publications, 2000)

1月4日的團練主題 Practice theme on 4 Jan

新年是大家慶祝、從新開始、親友之間相互祝福的好時刻。正念的其中一個好處是我們每一刻都可以像過新年一樣，每一刻都是美妙的，每一刻都是慶祝、從新開始、珍惜愛和友誼的好機會。

New year is a time for celebration, a time for beginning anew and a time when we bless our friends with good wishes for year.  One of the benefits of mindfulness practice is that we can do these at every moment.  Every moment is a wonderful.  Every moment is a chance for celebration, for beginning anew and for us to treasure love and friendship. 

同時，我們也不要忽略這一刻也存在著很多痛苦：加沙深陷在戰火之中，印尼地震的遇難者親友正在哀悼，四川大地震的受害者家園還沒有完全重建，金融大海嘯讓好多家庭陷入困境，好友的祖母在新年那天去世，等等。

At the same time, we have to remember that there are many sufferings at this moment: Gaza is in flames, families are mourning their loved ones killed in the Indonesian earthquake, victims from the Sichuan earthquake are still re-building their homes, families in difficulties due to the financial crisis, the death of my dear friend’s grandma on new year day, etc.  

在今天的團練，我們靜坐時練習了一行禪師與佛陀的教導，深入觀察無常的特性：我們不能逃避年老、疾病、死亡、以及放棄我們今天所擁有的人和事物。我們的行為和業，是我們唯一所擁有的，我們不能逃避自己的行為和業所帶來的後果。所以我們要每天每刻活在當下，珍惜我們所擁有的，並為我們所愛的人帶來喜悅和減輕痛苦。

Today in the gathering of our Sangha, we practice one of the guided meditation taught by Thay and the Buddha for us to look deeply into the nature of impermanence: we cannot avoid old age, sickness, death, and giving up what we cherish today.  Our actions are our only belongings and we cannot escape the consequences of our actions.  We shall live our days in mindfulness, treasure what we have, offer joy and relieve the suffering of our loved ones.

Finger and Moon

Recently in a dinner party, I met a new friend and to my delight, he has been reading Thay’s books since his university days in the UK.  “I like to read Thich Nhat Hanh’s books”, he said, “but I do not like his way of practice and his followers.”  I was curious because Thay emphasizes the importance of practice in all his books.  I wonder how one could like Thay’s book but not the practice!  “I met some of his followers in the UK.”, my friend continued, “They are so into the different rituals such as stopping at the sound of the bell, touching the earth and reading gathas before a meal, etc, etc.  Aren’t all these distractions from mindfulness? How can one be truly present when there are so many rituals to follow?”

He made a good point.  If we fall into the trap of believing that all the rituals and rules of the Plum Village are the experience of mindfulness, than we are in the wrong path.  I told my new friend the famous analogy of the finger and the moon by the Buddha.  The intention of the finger pointing to the moon is for us to see the true moon.  If we keep looking at the finger and think it is the moon, we will never see the moon. If we can see the moon, then we may not need the finger until we lose track of it. If we develop a way to notice the moon all the time, then we no longer need the pointing finger.  All the rituals on the practice of mindfulness are forms, tools and maps that help us to reach the state of mindfulness.  They are not mindfulness itself.  When we practice, we must remember this.

In the common areas of the Plum Village, the clock chimes every 15 minutes, and we are told to stop whatever we are doing and take a few deep breaths to return to the present moment.  I find it a useful practice because we tend to slip out of our state of mindfulness so easily.  But I notice that Thay do not stop at the sound of the chimes.  He continues to drink his tea or to walk.  I believe it is not because of his privilege of being a venerable zen master.  He is already in mindfulness all the time.  I am not making a wild guess because I can really feel the energy of mindfulness Thay radiates wherever he is.  For many of us who are still learning to live the present moment, stop and breathe at the sound of the bell remains a good practice.

你可以為這世界付出更多 You can give more to this world

I would like to share another of my favourite song with you. It is a Chinese pop song.  Written originally for a fund raising event after the Sichuan earthquakes this year, this is a song of contemplation on what we can give, without expectations for returns or merits.  The song and lyrics were written by Ivy Koo, and sang by Jacky Cheung, one of the most popular mail singer in Asia. With the lovely melody and the rich voice of Jacky, this song is wonderfully touching.

You can give more to this world is the title of the song.  It is in chorus with Peace Pilgrim's message: "I began to live to give what I could, instead of to get what I could, and I entered a new and wonderful world."

Watch the MTV here with background of the deadly Sichuan Earthquake and a short interview with Jacky.

Here is the lyrics and the English translation for my western friends :)

你可以为这世界付出更多        You can give more to this world

曲、詞：古羽 唱：張學友      Song & Lyrics: Ivy Koo  Singer: Jacky Cheung

尝过绝望 你才知道              Being through hopelessness, you will know

什么叫做希望                    what is hope.
熬过黑夜                         Surviving the dark night,
你会更欣赏太阳                you will treasure the sun even more.
学会幸福不是必然              Learning that happiness can not be taken for granted
睁开眼睛看                    Opening your eyes and see
若听到苦痛的呼唤              If you hear the calls of pain and suffering
哪可袖手旁观                    How can you remain an onlooker?

Chorus
你可以为这世界付出更多       You can give more to this world
能够帮助别人你会更快乐       Helping others will make you happier
非求福 和赞美   It’s not for merits, nor for glory
你会有更美好的收获             You will have more wonderful returns
想想你可为这世界做些什么     Think about what you can do for this world
能够温暖别人的心最快乐       The heart that can warm others is the happiest
所给的 非施舍                   What’s given is not charity
圆满别人才算是真正的活着   In fulfilling others we are truly alive

跌倒之后 再站起来 After falling and standing up again
你会更加硬朗 You will become stronger and tougher
病过痛过 After falling sick and enduring pain
更懂得珍惜健康   You will learn to treasure healthiness
明白幸福不是偶然 Understanding that happiness does not come by chance
掏出心来看 Looking into your heart
有许多哀伤的哭声 There are so many cries of despair
怎能袖手旁观 How can we remain an observer?

Repeat Chorus

Please call me by my true names 請以真實名字呼喚我

n our group meditation last week, we sang the song adapted from Thay's poem "Please call me by my true name."  Thay wrote this poem back in 1978 when he was helping the boat people from Vietnam and heard the news that a 12-year-old girl drowned herself in the ocean after being raped by a pirate.  This is one of Thay's famous poems and my favourite. It is a beautiful expression of understanding, love, inter-being.  

Watch a beautiful video here.

Listen to the song here.

I translated it into Chinese some of my friends:

Please call Me By My True Names  請以真實名字呼喚我 

Thich Nhat Hanh                                           一行禪師

Do not say that I will depart tomorrow -      不要說我將在明天離去 － 

even today I still arrive. 即使今天我仍在到達。

Look deeply: every second I am arriving 深入觀看：我每秒鐘都在到達

to be a bud on a spring branch, 成為春枝上的蓓蕾,

to be a tiny bird, with wings still fragile, 成為一只小小鳥，翅膀依然脆弱，

learning to sing in my new nest, 在我的新巢學習歌唱，

to be a caterpillar in the heart of a flower, 成為花蕊中的小毛蟲，

to be a jewel hiding itself in a stone. 成為藏於石頭中的寶鑽。

I still arrive, in order to laugh and to cry, 我仍然在到達，才可以歡笑與哭泣，

to fear and to hope. 體會恐懼與希望。

The rhythm of my heart is the birth and  我心裡的節奏是所有生命的生與死。

death of all that are alive.

I am a mayfly metamorphosing on the 我是一只在河面睿變的蜉蝣，

surface of the river,

And I am the bird                               我也是那只小鳥

that swoops down to swallow the mayfly. 從半空俯衝下把蜉蝣吞掉。

I am a frog swimming happily in the 我是一只在清池裡快樂地游泳的青蛙，

clear water of a pond.

And I am the grass-snake 我也是那條草蛇，

that silently feeds itself on the frog. 沈默地獵食這只青蛙。

I am the child in Uganda, all skin and bones, 我是烏干達的孩童，只剩皮和骨，

my legs as thin as bamboo sticks. 雙腿瘦如竹杆，

And I am the arms merchant, 我也是那軍火商人，

selling deadly weapons to Uganda. 販賣殺人武器到烏干達。

I am the twelve-year-old girl, 我是那十二歲女孩，

refugee on a small boat, 小船上的難民，

who throws herself into the ocean 遭遇海盜的糟蹋，

after being raped by a sea pirate. 躍身投進海裡。

And I am the pirate, my heart not yet 我也是那個海盜，

capable of seeing and loving. 我的心還不懂了解和愛。

I am a member of the politburo, 我是政治局成員，

with plenty of power in my hands. 手裡擁有巨大權利，

And I am the man who has to pay his 我也是那個需要給人民“償還血債”的人

"debt of blood" to my people 在集中營裡慢慢地死去。

dying slowly in a forced labor camp.

My joy is like spring, so warm it makes 我的喜悅如春天，

flowers bloom in all over the earth. 溫暖讓百花綻放大地。

My pain is like a river of tears, 我的痛楚如淚之河川，

so vast it fills the four oceans. 延綿充滿四海。

Please call me by my true names, 請以真實名字呼喚我，

so I can hear all my cries and laughs at once, 讓我同時聽見自己的哭泣和歡笑，

so I can see that my joy and pain are one. 讓我看見自己的歡樂和痛苦是一體。

Please call me by my true names, 請以真實名字呼喚我，

so I can wake up, 讓我醒覺，

and the door of my heart can be left open, 讓我心裡之門打開，

the door of compassion. 那扇慈悲之門。